May 20, Year 1 of the New Calendar
Gron received a reply to his letter. The Gear Clan had agreed to the talks.
The venue was set in Ashen City, where the Sunfire God had first descended and where the Sunrise Expedition had begun.
Considering every possible mishap, Gron hoped to conclude the talks here as quickly as possible.
To be honest, he was in a terrible mood. The request for talks had come far too suddenly, and it happened to coincide with the Sunfire God's temporary absence.
It was hard not to suspect a carefully planned conspiracy, that the other side had chosen this exact moment to send their letter.
The Sunfire Expedition had now concluded successfully, and the entire mountain had been conquered.
The three remaining regions had no supplies and would soon surrender as their resources dwindled.
In the end, everything would fall naturally into place.
That was how it should have been.
Seated at the head of the meeting hall the attendants had prepared, Gron frowned despite himself as he waited for the visitors and thought of all this.
For the impending talks, he had put on unusually elaborate attire.
Beneath the fluffy animal hide was a long cloak patterned with flames. The close-fitting clothes beneath the cloak hugged his body, allowing him to move freely.
The eyepatch covering his scar did nothing to diminish his imposing presence. If anything, he looked even more like a king awaiting an envoy.
The sharp sword at his waist also made one thing clear: if a fight truly broke out, these clothes could instantly serve as excellent protective gear.
His rare solemnity, coupled with the displeasure radiating from him, made the attendants who noticed work even more quietly, terrified of making a mistake at such a critical moment.
"Do